The University of Kansas Heartland Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (HICTR) was established in 2007 in response to the national CTSA initiative. The vision ofthe HICTR is to Improve the health of Kansans by creating a novel and transformative translational research enterprise from bench to bedside to community. Particular strengths of our HICTR program are an entrepreneurial drug and device discovery and development program and a well-developed and highly accomplished community-based research program. The specific aims of the HICTR are to: 1) create a new academic home with innovative training programs for clinical and translational investigators; 2) provide an enhanced coordinated translational research infrastructure; and 3) actively engage the community in developing, testing, and disseminating research, by capitalizing on and expanding existing networks, to improve the health of all Kansansespecially those in rural, underserved and other target communities. The proposed infrastructure and educational programs ofthe HICTR will address the challenges facing clinical and translational investigators by enhancing and integrating existing resources for easier access, developing new innovative resources, and capitalizing on resources residing in research centers across the university-including our KINBRE and five COBRE grants~and our HICTR network institutions. In support of our aims, we have marshaled an impressive array of institutional, corporate, and community resources in planning, developing, and establishing the HICTR. The HICTR will provide new infrastructure and training and educational programs to support investigators' clinical and translational researchtaking laboratory discoveries to first trials in humans (Tl research) and moving research through to studies on dissemination and implementation of research findings to practice (T2 research). With extraordinary institutional and community support, we already have made tremendous progress. Funding from the CTSA program will allow the University of Kansas' HICTR the opportunity to fully realize its potential not only for our region, but also to contribute to the national CTSA Consortium.